Method for forming combustible mixtures



0. A. ROSS METHOD FOR FORMING COMBUSTI'BLE MIXTURES Original Filed Jan. 8, 192a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l '5 5/ I a l 45 44 Z a] v k 27 42 /1 36 52 I'l 33 I K I, 57 I I 4 a ll I00 3 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 1, 1936 METHOD FOR FORMING COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES Oscar A. Ross, New York, N. Y.

Continuation of application Serial No. 80,000, January 8, 1926. This application July 22, 1931, Serial No. 552,528

Claims. (Cl. 261-90) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

This invention refers to apparatus for producing combustible mixtures fromnon-readily volatilized liquid fuels and more particularly.to that class of apparatus for producing said mixtures 5 for internal combustion motors and fuel oil burners.

Internal combustion motors employing the more heavy hydro-carbon oils are known as the Diesel type and the fuel is either solidily or air injected thereinto, the heat of compression acting to destructivelydistill the more orless solid fuel particles injected into its cylinders. Other lower compression motors employing kerosene as fuel are provided with gasifying devices heated by the exhaust gases for converting the liquid fuel into a gas before entry into the motor cylinders thereof.

The difiiculty in employing non-readily vo1a tilized liquid fuels in low compression motors arises from the fact that a comparatively small portion of the fuel is readily volatilized at atmospheric temperature, and therefore the comparatively large fuel particles produced in ordinary carbureters do not furnish suflicient globular surface whereby the readily volatilized portions therein are exposed to form an electrically ignitable mixture when starting a mptor from cold state. Furthermore assuming the mixture to be ignitible, the comparatively large particle size of the fuel prevent its being wholly consumed during the power cycle of the motor thereby causing poor economy, or in the case of an oil burner, will produce soot or mal-combustion owing to the improper balance of fuel and air required to maintain combustion.- Furthermore in the case of the internal combustion motor, the comparatively large particlesize of the fuel produces a comparatively slow combustion, .or distructive distillation thereof thereby producing a comparatively slow power cycle and in the case of motors operating at high rotative speed the efficiency thereof will be comparatively low.

The applicant has discovered that by mechanically breaking up the non-readily volatile fuel of a combustible mixture into-particle size which is comparatively small as compared to the par.-

ticle size of mixtures produced by ordinary car-.

55 dispersion, or distintegrating members simultaneously with creating an air flow into which the dispersed fuel is suspended, the dispering members, by a beating and cutting action breaking up said fuel to particle size approximating the micron, the air suspended fuel particles ap- 5 pearing as a fog or nebular body, said particles, as

in the case of aqueous fog, being gas tensionly suspended in the air, it being suggested that said particles are electro-statically separated one from another and therefore remain as closely approxl- 10 mated but independent bodies.

By thus reducing non-volatilized liquid fuels to comparatively small particle size, a tremendous globular area of the fuel is exposed to the air in which it is suspended. Therefore a compare.- 15 tively large portion of the morereadily volatile components of the fuel are exposed and converted into a gas which comingled with the surrounding air produces a readily ignitable mixture throughout the entire combustible mixture, this 20 condition occurring even at atmospheric pressure. The aforesaid readily ignitable mixture furnishes a path of substantially instantaneous flame propagation throughout the combustible mixture, and owing to the comparatively small particle size 25 of the dispersed fuel, the flame propagation throughout the readily ignitable mixture acts to substantially instantaneously distill, or gasify said particles thereby effecting comparatively rapid flame propagation through the entire combustible 30 mixture and therefore comparatively rapid explosion thereof whereby high speed internal com-,

bustion motors may be economically operated. The applicants novel form vof combustible mixnace chamber wherein it is located.

The applicants combustible mixture also forms an ideal mixture for starting internal com- 40 bustion motors'from a cold state without the abnormal addition of liquid fuel much of which may flow to the crank of the motor and dilute the lubricating oil therein. v

It is one object of this invention to furnish 45 apparatus for producing a combustible mixture having the characteristics hereintofore named and wherein the nonreadily volatilized liquid fuels are disintegrated, dispersed, nebulized, or

reduced to particle size approximating the mi-, cron in diameter and all the particles'are of substantially uniform size and closely approximated giving the appearance of fog.

Another object is to furnish apparatus for producing combustible mixtures from hydrocarbon fuels wherein no comparatively small orifices or passageways are required for controlling the flow of said fuel informing a combustible mixture,

in this manner preventing failure of the apparatus due to the clogging of said orifices and passageways.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out in the appended claims.

This invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, delineated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in that portion of this instrument wherein patentable novelty is claimed for the certain and peculiar system and apparatus, it being understood that, within the scope of what hereinafter thus is claimed, divers changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing any of its details.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention, and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-.-

Ii is a sectional view on the line A-A of Fig. 3 and shows various features of the construction of the combustible mixture producing means and the combustible mixture actuating means. Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view, the right hand half of which is taken on line BB of Fig.'

features of the mechanisms for producing and burning combustible mixtures and also includes a wiring diagram of the circuits for controlling I said mechanisms. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an installation in which the combustible mixture producing means. and the actuating means for the mixture are placed in a persing or nebulizing unit 5, suitably mounted on a base as 6. Motor 3, comprises frame 1; armature 8, having shaft 9, mounted in bearing in, and attached to the driving end of which is secured hub H, supporting blades l2-l2, rotating in housing I3 having annular side walls It and I5 and, also exhaust opening l6.

Nebulizing unit 5 comprises housing I I, one end of which is joined to housing l3 by conical deflector la, the other end supporting bearing bracket 19, bolts 20 and nuts 2| serving to adjustably unite said housing and bracket together with the fixed nebulizing member 22.

Secured to bearing .bracket l9, by bolts 23 and nuts 24, is pump body 25 having gland nut 26 adapted to pack shaft 21 against leakage frompressure produced by pump gears 28 and 29, gear-28 being keyed to shaft 21 and gear 29 rotating on its'own shaft. Also secured by bolts 23 and nuts 24, is the bearing housing 30 supporting ball bearing 3|, the inner race of which is secured to shaft .27 by nut 32, cap 33 acting in enclose said bearing.

Also secured to hearing bracket iii, is fitting B l adapted to receive nozzle 35.

Fixed nebulizing member 22 comprises upper and lower distribution plates or members 36 and 3?, also nebulizing vanes or disintegrators 3$-38. Fixed nebulizing member iii! secured to housing if by brackets ltcfiila, supports nebulizing vanes or disintegrators 3fld@.

Shaft 27?, the driven end of which is keyed to hub H, supports rotating spider nebulizing member d! comprising hub i2 keyed to shaft 2?, bolts it-53 and plate as securing spider plate member d5 thereto, said member supporting nebulizing or disintegrating vanes 88 and i'l.

Annular members 38 having openings 59 serve to prevent liquid fuel from being drawn into the blower housing i3.

Reserve fuel reservoir 5%, secured to housing ill by brackets 5ii-5!, has over-flow pipe 52, inlet 53, outlet and heater unit 55 ins'ulatively supported thereon.

Orifice as serves to drain the non-nebulized liquid fuel from housing ii to main reservoir 92.

Referring to Fig. 4, illustrating a complete combustible producing and actuating unit together with a fuel burner and system of control therefor, the combustible mixture producing and actuating unit 2 is connected to burner Bil by pipe I Burner till comprises main burner member E2, circular in form and having threaded extension 83 receiving nut 5 3 arranged to secure cylindrical insulating member 55 supporting electrode iii positioned by nuts 66--86, said electrode receiving energy through terminal Ella. Loosely mounted on the upper end of said electrode is vaporizing plate or member 58 having vaporizing ribs 5-$l radially disposed. Orifice 'lil serves to drain any liquid entering chamber H. Pipe 72 drains off any liquid which may how to chamber '13. Electrodes i l-id serve to form an air gap between electrode 61 and ribs 69-459 across which the ignition spark jumps for initially igniting the combustible mixtu're supplied to the burner by the unit 2.

Thermoresponsive device comprises housing 16 and annular members Ti and it clamped between which are thermoresponsive disk 79 and heat radiating disk 80. Thermoresponsive disk 19 composed of bi-metallic material is arranged to have the center portion thereof abruptly assume either one of two stable positions, and during the movement thereof is arranged to move operating rod 88 rigidly secured thereto, said rod being arranged to actuate contact lever 82 pivoted at 83. 7 I

Dash-pot 84 having piston 90 secured to arms.- ture 85 of solenoid 86 by rod 92a, comprises cylinder 81 having valve 88 arranged to permit piston to lower' rapidly but rise slowly. Orifice 89 permits a quick rising of said piston during the initial upward movement thereof only, the orifice 9| thereafter restraining a slow movement thereof.

The operation of the system is as follows; referring to Fig. 4 all the parts are shown in inoperative position, it being assumed that the temperature of space I90 is sufficiently high. to maintain thermostat H)! in open position. Upon a predetermined lowering of the temperature in said space saidthermostat will act to establish the following circuit; from positive energy to contact I02, wire )3, operating winding of solecircuit energized armature 85 moves up quickly until piston 90 covers port. 89, said movement causing circuit closer I06 to establish the following circuit; from positive energy tocontact lever 82, wires I01, I62, circuit closer I63, wire I08, where it divides, the fuel'heating circuit running through wire I09 to heating unit 55"and thence to negative energy, the other branch, namely the ignition circuit, running through wire IIO, transformer III, wire II2, circuit closer I06 and wire II3 to negative energy. This latter circuit, by induction in transformer, produces high voltage current through wires I29 and I30 acting to create ignition sparks between electrodes 61 and 1414.

After a predetermined interval of time, the upward movement of armature 85 will actuate circuit closer II4 to establish thefmotor operating circuit as follows; from positive energy to wire II5, wires H1 and H8, circuit closer II4, wires 9 and I33, to motor 3 and thence to negative energy by wire I20. This circuit acts to operate motor 3 and rotation of shaft 21 will cause pump 30 to withdraw fuel from main reservoir 92 through pipe 93, strainer 94, pipe 95, check valve 96, pipe 91, said pump delivering said fuel to the reserve reservoir 50, said fuel eventually flowing through pipe 99 to nozzle 35, the surplus fuel returning to main reservoir 92 through pipes 52 and 'I2I.

After being heated by heater 55 the fuel first flows to nozzle 35 and thence to distributer plate 36 where it is divided into a number of streams by grooves or troughs I22--| 22, thereafter falling to distributer plate 31 and is further sub-divided into a larger number of streams bygrooves or troughs I23 I23, thereafter passing to the rapidly revolving nebulizing members 46-46 where the first stages of substantial dispersion or nebulizing begins, thereafter passing through stationary nebulizing members 39 and 38 to moving nebulizing members 41-41 for further nebulization thereby. It will be noted that the angularity of said moving and stationary members is suchthat not only will it effect outward movement of the nebulized and non-nebulized fuel but will also create an outwardly moving air current through said members, said air entering I through openings I25-I25 in member I9, thence v passageway.

The blades I2I2 of blower 4 act to move the combustible mixture through pipe 6I to burner 60, thence to chamber I28 therein, through screen I 21 tochamber I29 whereinit is ignited by the electrical discharges between ,electrodes 61 and 1414, the burning of said mixture being eflfected initially under vaporizing plate 68 for the heating thereof. x During the period the mixture is burning under 1 thevaporizing plate 68, armature 86 continues its upward movement and thermostatic device 15 is also heated suflicientlyto effect movement of circuit closer 62 to the right. During. the final upward movement of said armature, collars I30 and I3l will act to raise circuit closers I63 and H6. As closer I I5 is raised energy to motor 3 will flow from contact lever 82 through wires I33, H8, and circuit closer II4, wire II9 to motor 3 and thence to negative energy, in this manner maintaining continued operation of said motor. If the burner had failed to ignite, the failure of circuit closer 82 to move to the right would have opened the circuit to the motor when closer II6 was raised. Said failure would also effect flow of energy from lever 82 through wires I01, I34, circuit closer I35 wire I36, alarm I31 and thence to negative energy through wire I38; in this manner calling attention to the abnormal condition of the burner.

Assuming that circuit closer 82 has moved to the right normally, the raising of closer II6 will act to open the circuit to transformer I I I, and as the electrical discharges cease, the origin of the burning flame under vaporizing plate 68 will move outwardly to the'annular opening formed by the flanges I56 and I51, thereafter continuing to burn at this point until the motor 3 is stopped.

It will be noted that simultaneously with the opening of the circuit to the transformer II I, the circuit to the heating unit 55 is likewise opened.

As armature completes its upward movement, circuit closer I32 raises and includes a holding winding I58 in the windingsof the solenoid 86, in this manner materially reducing the amount of energyrequired thereby during the holding periods thereof.

Referring to Fig. 5, the combustible mixture producing unit 2 is located in a building I52 remotely from the burner 60, the pipe 6 I' being conducted under ground therebetween, said building I52 having a control panel I53 containing the apparatus 84 controlled by the thermostat IOI in building I5I said building having a furnace I50 wherein said burner 60 is located.

Whereas the combustible mixture producing unit 2 has been shown as supplying a combustible mixture for a fuel burner said unit is equally well adapted to supply said combustible mixture to an intemal combustion motor. of the high speed type.

The solenoid 86.may be controlled by a time interval device I 55, more fully described in my copending application for Letters Patent filed February 14, 1931, Serial Number 515,761 (since issued as U. S. Patent 2,030,542 on 'Feb. 11, 1936), andunder which conditions the thermostat IOI would be adjusted to function only in event of excess heating of the space I00.

This application forms a continuing application of my copending application Serial Number 80,000, filed, January 8th, 1926.

What I claim is:-

1. The method of producing fog combustible mixtures for supporting combustion which involves,simultaneously producing a current ofair and producing a stream of non-readily volatile liquid fuel thereinto, the fuel stream being produced independently of the air current, mechanically beating the fuel in the stream until it is disintegrated into uniform size closely approximated liquid globules so small they become electro-statically suspended in the .air of the air current and thereby form a fog combustible mixture, and utilizing the combustible mixture for supporting combustion.

2. The method of producing fog combustible mixtures for supporting combustion which in-'-' volves, simultaneously producing a current of air 75 produced independently of the air current, me chanically beating the fuel in the stream until a substantial portion thereof is disintegrated into uniform size closely approximated liquid globules so small they become electro-statically suspended in the air current and form a fog combustible mixture, separating the fog combustible mixture and the liquid fuel in the stream not disintegrated sufliciently to form a combustible mixture, returning the latter fuel portion to the source and utilizing the fog combustible mixture to support combustion.

3. The method of producing combustible mixtures which involves, simultaneously establishing a current of combustion supporting gas and a flowing stream of non-readily volatile liquid fuel in juxtaposition, mechanically beating the stream suificiently to reduce the fuel therein into minute closely approximated uniform size liquid particles and simultaneously produce a gas tension therebetween and the surrounding combustion supporting gas for forming a stable fog combustible mixture which will support combustion when ignited.

. aooaeae 4. The method of producing combustible mixtures which involves, simultaneously establishing a current of air and a flowing stream of nonreadily volatile liquid fuel in juxtaposition, mechanically beating the stream sufficiently to reduce the fuel therein into the minutest divisible liquid particles before gasifioation thereof and simultaneously producing a gas tension therebetween and the surrounding air from forming a stable fog combustible mixture which will produce spontaneous combustion when ignited.

5. The method of producing combustible mixtures which involves, simultaneously establishing a current of air and a flowing stream of nonreadily volatile liquid fuel in juxtaposition from separate sources, mechanically beating the stream sufflciently to reduce a substantial portion thereof into the minutest divisible liquid-particles before gasiflcation thereof and simultaneously producing a gas tension therebetween and the surrounding air for forming a stable spontaneous combustible mixture, separating the combustible mixture from the portion of the fuel stream not reduced to the minute particle state, and collecting and returning the latter named portion to the fuel source. v

OSCAR 'A. ROSS. 

